Brad Terry & Chris Neville

Although Brad and Chris had performed together frequently in the 1980’s it had always been with a quartet or quintet. Following a chance musical encounter in 2025, they realized what fun a duo might be and booked a date at Cadenza - unfortunately rescheduled due to illness. We think you will agree that this afternoon’s performance will be worth the wait!

Pianist Chris Neville was no stranger to Maine audiences in the late 1970’s and 1980’s, appearing frequently with Don Doane, Brad Terry, and for nine years with David Mallett. By 1990 he was living in Boston, where he performed with many of the jazz legends that were passing through. One of these was legendary saxophonist and composer Benny Carter, who invited Neville to appear on his next recording- a quintet featuring fellow altoist Phil Woods. Six more recordings with Carter were to follow, as well as concerts throughout the USA, Europe, and Asia. Carter also produced (and was guest soloist on) Neville's critically acclaimed debut recording From the Greenhouse; and was involved with the production of Neville's subsequent trio recordings Look, Stop & Listen and Songs We Like. In addition, Chris has also accompanied such stylistically diverse and noteworthy artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Aretha Franklin, and Andrea Bocelli (among others); and spent 20 years touring the US and Canada with several Broadway mega-musicals, including Fosse, Mamma Mia, and The Lion King.

Brad Terry is a jazz legend and a Maine treasure. Brad's musical journey started more than 70 years ago when legendary band leader "King of Swing" Benny Goodman told his mother to buy Brad a clarinet. "I got three free lessons when I bought the instrument, and almost immediately, I started playing this wonderful music called jazz. Undiagnosed ADD forced me to learn everything by ear; reading music was not an option. (Later, I had three unproductive lessons with Benny )"

It was raw luck that early on Brad started playing with Steve Swallow, Sam Brown & Wayne Wright; did concerts with Chuck Wayne & Joe Puma; sat in at the Celebrity Club and played multiple gigs with Buddy Tate & Buck Clayton.

Later, Brad sat in with Eddie Thompson and Major Holly and played for years with Eddie Thompson, even recording a CD with him.

Brad won the Hennessy Cognac Jazz search in NYC with John Basile and recorded a whistling track with Roger Kellaway and Red Mitchell.

Dizzy Gillespie visited for a week, doing school programs, and invited Brad to New York to play Cuban music with him at The Village Gate.

Brad enjoyed a 25-year partnership with Joachim Mencel in Poland, including lots of concerts and school programs, and recording 3 CDs. (23 trips to Poland) While in Poland, Brad recorded 2 CDs, 1 Gershwin and 1 Ellington, with Jarek Smietana. Brad's album with guitar legend and Maine native Lenny Breau, “Livingroom Tapes”, received 4 stars from Leonard Feather.

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